Tracker adjustment and transposing apparatus.



w. R.- CRIPPEN.,

TRACKER ADJUSTMENT AND TRANSPOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. I916.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

(Unvemfoz unms runs we Lima hummmn u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER R. CRIPPEN, or mw YORK, N. Y., 'assrcnon TO- THE CRIPPEN COMPANY, mo,

OENEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

. TRACKER ADJUSTMENT AND TRANSPOSING APlPARATUS.

' My invention relates to an apparatus designedto. adjust the tracker mechanism of a' mechanical music playing instrument whereby the ducts therein may be caused to properly register with the perforations in. a music sheet, and also whereby said tracker mechanism may be shifted at any time for transposing the key. These ends I attain by the use of very. simple, durable and effective,

mechanism which will invariably operate with certainty and accuracy.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front view with certain parts broken away, .Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3'3,-Fig. 1. n

1 represents a tracker having the usual ducts therein.

23 conventionally represent music rolls designed to draw a sheet of perforated music,

' across the tracker 1. The rolls 23 may be rolls are relatively adjustable, and inthe mounted in any suitable way on the usual spool box or. frame. The tracker and said simplest embodiment of my invention I prefer to shift-the tracker 1 when it is de sired to effect said adjustment. -To that end -I have shown in the accompanying drawings, an arrangement whereby the shifting mechanism is applied to the tracker '1 instead of to the rolls.

1-4 represent tracker guides.

5 is a lever fulcrumed at 6 and 'pivotally connected at 7 intermediate its length to a second lever 8. The second lever 8 is connected at one end to the tracker 1, as by a link or rod 9. The pivot point 7 is made ad justable in any suitable way as by a rod 10 leading from the lower end of lever 5 tofan operating handle 11 which maybe shifted by hand for the purpose of moving ,the lever 5 and thereby the pivot point '7. The lower end of the rod 8 is manually ad ustable on a notched rack 12.or equivalent device the notches thereinbeing so spaced as to give a Specification c; netters Patent. J

Application filed June 21,

I Patented Dec. 5, 1916. 1916. Serial No. 104,891.

- predetermined. or step by step adjustment to said tracker. '13 is a manually operable arm which is connected by a suitable bar with the lower end of lever .8, which arm has a snap engagement with the rack 12.

14 is a friction spring which constitutes one suitable means for holding the lever 5 in. any adjusted position. t

15 is a spring which serves to hold the arm 13 in engagement with the rack 12. Operation: If it is desired to adjust-the with the perforations in a note sheet traveling over the same, the operator shifts the, rod 10 to any desired degreeand thereby moves the levers 58 sufliciently to shift the,

- tracker tothe desired position Ifnow at 1 any time it is desired to transpose the key in which the music is being;- played, the

operator has simply to shiftthe arm 13 on I the rack 12, the notches therein being so spaced that the shifting of the arm '13- will move the lever 8 and tracker]. to the left or right a distance suflicient to bring each one of the ducts therein into accurate alinement with the next row of perforationsto; the" right-or left in the note sheet, thereby trans, posing the key. Any suitable number of notches may be provided in the rack 12-. Heretofore it has been-common to eflect ad justment by shifting one or theoth'er of'the rolls 23, but such a method is undesirable because it involves: a twisting or distortion of the musicsheet, It is, therefore, preferable to cause the rolls 2'3-toremain in' proper alinement and to shift both rolls 23- relatively to the tracker, 'or'vice versa, for the purpose of securing said adjustment. In the present instance "I have selected the tracker as the movable element forsecuringthe relative adjustment, and I have likewise preferably selected the same means for transposing. adjustment, although in a broadsense, it should be understood that it is this relative adjustment that is sought,

and that it matters not whether the music rolls are moved or the tracker is moved for securing said adjustment and transposition. I may also modify the particular con-; struction and method'of connecting the overtracker 1 slightly, for the'purpose of cans 65, ing the ducts therein to register properly lapping elements 5-8 without departing' from the spirit and scope of the invention. I may also employ any suitable means for holdingthe parts in. their various adjusted positions. I

lVhat I claim is:

1 In an apparatus of the character described, a tracker mechanism, music roll mechanism parallel thereto, one of said mechanisms being longitudinally adjustable relatively to the other, adjusting means therefor comprising two cooperating manually controllable elements, one of said elements being shiftablc to variable degrees, the other being shift-able to predetermined degrees without shifting the first element.

2. In anapparatus of the character'described, a tracker mechanism, music roll mechanism parallel thereto, one of said mechanisms being longitudinally adjustable relatively to the other, adjusting means therefor comprising two cooperating manually controllable elements, one of said elements being shiftable to variable degrees, the other being shiftable to predetermined degrees Without shifting the first'element, the movement of said first element automatically varying the starting position of said second element.

3.-In an apparatus of the character described, a tracker mechanism, music roll mechanism parallel thereto, one of said mechanisms being longitudinally adjustable relatively to the other, adjusting means therefor comprising two cooperating manually controllable elements, one of said elements being adjustable to "variable degrees, I

the other being adjust-able to predetermined degrees and independently offlthe first, the movement of the first auton'iatically varying the starting position of the second, said adjusting means including two overlapping levers with a relatively stationary fulcrum for one, the second lever being fulcrumed on the first lever.

4c. In an apparatus of the character described, a tracker mechanism, music roll fixed positions.

WALTER R. CRIPPEN. 

